Love Like Ramen Noodles
by cxenon
Summary: A Naruto x Ayame pairing, in every sense an obscure match. Watch as Naruto fights his way to the top, for those that he loves, encountering hardships but pledging to stay principled through it all. Will true love conquer his inherent darkness?
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

**AN: Hey brahs! cxenon here. welcome to my first ever Naruto fic! I would like to start off giving an overview of Konoha. Basically this is not the Konoha we all know and love - in fact this Konoha is one riddled with internal unrest and whatnot. Expect deceit, betrayal and determination. One thing to note: this Konoha is much larger than the one in canon. I decided to make it a sort of hub of some sort, much larger than a 'village'. Also, i will use 'shinobi' interchangeably with 'ninja'. I dunno, just seems more natural.  
**

**See you after the jump!  
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Naruto x Ayame

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Welcome to Konoha, a village hidden among the leaves. The citizens of this forest city are respectable, it's laws stringently enforced, although it is nigh impossible to catch such 'respectable' citizens committing any crimes. It is a special village, a Hidden village, one out of the five. These villages teach the way of the ninja to the children through Academies, putting them through rigorous training from the first moment they can walk, or even before. The teachers are firm believers in justice, which together with loyalty are worshiped as the primary aspects of 'The Ninja Way'. Reportedly, no breach in rule or regulation is left unpunished, and disciplined is enforced with the utmost fervor.

Konoha, or 'The Leaf', is home to various exotic Clans whose members sport special chakra powers, known as 'Bloodline Limits', inherited from their ancestors. Their loyalty is unquestionable and absolute, and they pass this sentiment down to the younger generation, inculcating the values of a true ninja warrior. From the gluttonous Akimichi to the arrogant Hyuga, these family clans form the true power base of Konoha, with the best and most skilled ninja often hailing from the elite clans. The village of Konoha is ruled over by the Council, which consists of the various Clan Heads. In this way the power of the clans are legitimised.

Despite the apparent respectability, crimes, though reported as infrequent, do happen (much to the chagrin of the populace), albeit at a reportedly low rate. Crimes like theft and kidnappings are met with swift justice. Any criminal caught will be promptly executed, even from the most minor of offences. Incidentally, rumours that certain convicts are in fact innocent circulate quite frequently, and there are even some that believe that the shinobi are ruling over Konoha as dictators. these rumours are always quickly quashed, followed by several accusations, arrests, and executions.

Konoha values loyalty above all else when one is a ninja of the Leaf, one must be ready to sacrifice everything, even the lives of his comrades, if need be. Suffice to say Konoha views treason as the greatest of crimes. Betrayal the village is unacceptable, and warrants torture of the worse kind. Those convicted of treason look forward to a slow, drawn-out death.

The Torture and Interrogation branch of the ANBU, a special shinobi force, are in charge of meting out such punishment. The torture includes the stuffing of a convict with feces until bloated, then jumping on his or her stomach to forcibly stimulate the victim to vomit. The extremities are twisted 180 degrees before being amputated. The person would be cooked to the verge of death, then healed with medical jutsu before the cycle repeated itself. After 16 hours, the person would be cut up, the intestines used to hang the still breathing person , and slowly, piece by piece, flesh would be sliced off until the person breathed no more.

Into this village a child was born, one with bright orange hair and a personality to match, one who contained a demon spirit. His name was Naruto Uzumaki.

Welcome to Konoha, a village hidden among the leaves, a seething pit of dysfunction.

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**AN: sorry, I know the prologue doesn't seem like much, but I just wanted to give you guys a brief overview, in a satirical sort of context. It becomes more exciting from here, I promise! Keep reading!**


	2. Chapter 2 Revenge

**AN: Welcome to another chapter! For those wondering, I tend not to use too much japanese translations, just cause it feels weird to incorporate two different languages. I do use them though, but only when it feels appropriate, cool, or if I feel like off the top of my head. **

**See you after the jump!**

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His name was Naruto Uzumaki. A nobody. No one knew him, no one cared. His origins was one steeped in mystery, his past unknown even among the records. Only one man knew of his lineage; a withered old man, worn out by war and strife and the smoke of battle.

Known as the Third Hokage to the citizens of Konoha, his will was supposed to be law, his power infinite within the confines of the village walls. Hiruzen Sarutobi was once known as the God of Shinobi, a formidable foe to say the least. But his time was long past, and politics did what no enemy ninja ever could have done - laid him low and at the mercy of others. He became a figurehead, the real power belonging to the village council. After the heroic death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen had no choice but to re-assume the mantle of the Third.

Six years have passed since that day, the day that the Third, sensei to the Fourth, had to become the Hokage again, the day that the Kyuubi, a mystical beast of mythical proportions was defeated and, due to the Fourth's sacrifice, was sealed into the body of a newborn child.

It seemed the world had passed him by, and it was all he could do to survive as the puppet Hokage, much less protect the boy who had already given so much to Konoha. Sarutobi, at the wizened age of 68, had long given up hope that the ignorant, selfish people that populated the world could change; he could only hope Naruto leaned early enough to escape from Konoha.

* * *

The birds flew overhead, chirping loudly, signaling the dawn of yet another day in Konoha. The people of the village continued with their daily activities, unaware of the small, sleeping form of a six-year old boy wearing an orange jumpsuit two sizes too big for him.

"Ughhhh..." Naruto awoke, looking around the small, decrepit alleyway, memories of the beatings he had the night before still fresh in his mind. He sat up, wondering for a moment whether life decided to give him a break and send him up to Heaven.

No chance of that happening.

With a groan, the street urchin stood up, stretching his sore muscles. He had no home, and was simply one among the many homeless children that lived on the street. He had learned long ago that the village had it's foundations laid in deceit. He had heard on more than one occasion that Konoha was touted as the village with the lowest crime rate in all the Great Countries.

Yeah right.

Right here in the red light district, vices were considered a daily routine. Thefts were just harder to prove. Murders even more so. It also didn't help that most of the people around here were nobodies, and should they be murdered, would not warrant even a simple investigation.

A rock hit Naruto's head, causing him to yelp in pain and jolting him back to his senses.

"There's the fucker who tried to steal my bread! Get him boys!" The man with the mustache pointed at him, signaling to his accomplices to commence another beating.

This wasn't a new way to wake up.

With a burst of speed borne out of fear, the boy slipped through the men, making use of his petite size to escape under their very noses. The blonde ran recklessly through the streets, never looking back, his little heart pounding. A right turn here, a left turn there, Naruto just kept running and running. Just as Naruto's little heart threatened to explode, his sharp eyes picked out an inconspicuous hole by the street side. Mustering his last ounce of strength, he dove into it, squeezing his way inside. Suffice to say the hole was tight.

A minute passed. Two minutes passed. Naruto watched from his hole as the men passed, brandishing knives and stakes, searching without success for the slippery blonde.

"Oi, where did the **DEMON** go!" A lanky thug exclaimed.

Naruto winced at this. He had been called a demon as far back as he could remember, though he naturally did not understand why such a term was used to describe him.

"Rrrrrgg... Spread out! He's not getting away this time!" Another thug called out.

The mob passed, and after waiting a few minutes to make sure he was no longer in danger of being caught, Naruto crawled out, stretching. The feeling of fear ebbed away, taking with it the last of the leftover adrenaline. For the first time since he was awake, he was aware of his surroundings; the sun was high in the sky, but he seemed to have run far from his usual haunts. Not a soul could be seen, and Naruto, finally realizing where he was, broke out into cold sweat. Fear was a fickle thing when your name was Naruto Uzumaki; one moment you thought you were safe, the next you knew you were doomed.

He was in gang territory.

Here not only civilians, but shinobi participated in gang fights that frequently left many dead or dying. Blood stains adorned the the pavements of the street, and Naruto saw more of the red liquid smeared on the cracked cement walls that rose to either side of him. The half-rotted bodies of past victims attested to the level of violence of the fights, and part of Naruto wanted to retch at the sight. What irked him was the fact that the bodies weren't even given a proper burial.

"THERE'S THE DEMON! GET HIM FOOLS!" A shout rang out.

Naruto tried to run again, but this time he was surrounded. The konoha headbands so revered as a sign of loyalty to the village was defaced and worn proudly by the gang members that had cornered him, a snarling wolf painted over the leaf symbol. With trepidation, Naruto recognized the thugs from the gang known as 'Beast'.

"P-please! I beg you don't kill me! I've done nothing to you, I just want to li- AAAGHH!" Naruto wailed in pain as a particularly muscular civilian slashed him on his arm.

Naruto whimpered, scooting back while trying his best to put as much distance between him and the men. Their murderous looks left little to the imagination of what they would do to him, and his chances of him escaping was rapidly diminishing by the second. Cradling his injured arm, Naruto mustered all of his remaining strength and decided on his route to escape, perhaps the only thing he could actually do. The plan: run like a dog.

With a feral scream, Naruto shot up and ran In the opposite direction, and for a moment he actually thought he caught his captors by surprise. Seizing upon the perceived opportunity, Naruto charged forward.

To his dismay he felt an arm wrap around the scruff of his neck, bringing his movement to a sudden halt. The offending appendage belonged to a wiry man whose chakra enhanced strength gave him away as a shinobi.

'fuck my life', Naruto lamented, 'at least my pain will stop when I die. But knowing my luck...'

Before he could finish the thought, the ninja brandished his kunai, one arm still holding up the choking boy.

"You know, you don't deserve to live..." the wiry man whispered in Naruto's ear, "They should have killed you long ago, they should have left you to the wolves... I will complete what should have been done long ago; I will kill the accursed Demon container..."

"W-why are you d-doing this to me, I-I've never hur- URK!", Naruto choked as the man tightened his grip.

"You will never understand, you CANNOT understand... You are just a boy- a baby- after all. But you hold the demon, and that is unforgivable. You are as much a stain on humanity as you are a stain on Konoha. I will tell you this: you were destined to be sacrificed, but the Elders were too cowardly, too human, to kill a newborn. Blame them for your current predicament; because you lived on, you experienced a short life of hatred and loneliness. But it is not you I hate, it is the THING inside you. To kill it, I must kill you. It does not matter how Inhumane it might seem to you; I am a shinobi, and as such I have sacrificed my humanity and dedicated my life to the dealing of death. Hear this Uzumaki Naruto, and remember it in the afterlife. I do not regret sacrificing you, a mere six-year old, for it is for the greater good of humanity and shinobi alike."

Done with his explanation, the chuunin released his hold on Naruto, whose face was sporting a bluish tint from lack of oxygen. No sooner had he done that, did Naruto experience white-hot pain, and then a dull throbbing in his right arm. Glancing to his right, he managed to glimpse the bloodied, amputated stump that was now his arm.

Despite this, he refused to scream.

"Let us begin our work...", the shinobi murmured.

The entire gang of felons and shinobi set upon Naruto like a pack of wolves cornering their prey, butchering him with their knives, beating him with their clubs. It almost seemed as though they were taking out the pain and suffering they felt from losing their loved ones on him. Naruto did not see satisfaction in the faces of the men who butchered him, only cries of anger and expressions of rage.

It felt like an eternity, and by the time they were done, Naruto, now simply a torso with a head looked weakly around, his amputated limbs strewn around in a grotesque manner.

'Why am I still alive', he thought.

As the gang shuffled away, their rage spent, until only the ninja who caught him remained.

"To your credit, not once did you scream out in pain... You might have been a good shinobi. But this is goodbye.", he said as he drew his kunai across his throat.

Naruto's last thought was of his parents, parents whose love he never knew.


	3. Chapter 3 Introducing Ayame

**AN: welcome back to mah story! I would like to appeal to you readers to rear and review, (preferable on each individual chapters to point out good points and bad) **

**Enjoy after the jump!**

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"2 miso ramen to go!"

"Coming up Otou-san!"

It was a busy day for Ichiraku's Ramen. The famed father-daughter duo cooked and served ramen with practiced ease, keeping their customers happy and the tips healthy. The day was almost over, and civilian and shinobi alike flocked to restaurants, roadside stores and bars to wash down the day's sweat with alcohol and food. Ichiraku's Ramen was one such stand, and although space was a little lacking (there was barely enough space to fit 10 people), people came and queued up anyway to enjoy dinner after a tiring and particularly hot day.

* * *

Two hours later...

Ayame slumped down onto one of the stools in the cramped stand, her tiny body spent. It was a busy day for Ichiraku's, and was she exhausted.

"Ayame! Stop slacking and come help clean up here!", Ayame's father called irritably.

"Coming, Otou-san!", Ayame replied.

Stifling a yawn, Ayame pushed herself up and made her way to the kitchen, becoming very much absorbed in her thoughts. Teuchi was a warm and just father, believing in hard work and justice. He was well aware how twisted the village of Konoha really was. At night, predators roamed the street in the forms of men, preying on the defenseless and weak. The shinobi, supposedly the 'protectors' of the village, we're not much better. They took advantage of their power and position to bully and extort, and while there were a few notable ninja who genuinely wanted to help the populace, most of them were corrupt and downright evil.

Ayame, at the tender age of 7, had to work full day from the morning to the evening, with few breaks in between. She was surprisingly mature for her young age, and had forced her father to let her work in the stall when she realized the situation her father was in. They were a poor family to begin with, and ever since her mother passed away two years ago the Ichiraku family had been trying to scrounge a living off selling ramen.

Sometimes Ayame would wonder what it was like to go to school. She longed to play with other children and to throw away all her worries and enjoy her childhood, but she was willing to sacrifice all of that help her father so that he did not have to bear the burden of simultaneously caring for her and making sure there was enough to eat.

But she, like any normal child, had her own dreams and hopes, and often slipped out of her house at the dead of night to wish with all her heart upon the stars. Her dream was to take care of her father till the day he dies, to start a family and shower her children with affection and love and especially to give them the childhood she never had.

After another few minutes of cleaning the small stand up, the father-daughter duo closed up the shop and made their way back home, a few streets away. It was well into the evening, the crisp and cool air caressing Ayame's brown tresses. Ichiraku's was located at the border dividing the Red Light District of Konoha and the luxurious Clan areas, and the area was relatively safe due to the policing of the Uchiha patrols. The Uchiha was _the _elite shinobi clan, with their Bloodline Limit being the infamous Sharingan. Suffice to say the civilian populace were fearful of incurring the wrath of the Uchiha Clan, as no untrained person could survive an encounter with the Sharingan. Ayame wasn't sure what it was the Sharingan did, but it sure sounded intimidating.

"Ayame, you can't work at Ichiraku's forever. Without education, you will not survive in the world.", Teuchi stated, voicing his concerns. "Selling ramen can only earn us so much money, and with the recent increase in taxes the damned Council called for, it won't be long before we're living in the streets..."

"Aww don't worry about me Otou-san! I can take care of myself now that i'm a biiiig girl! I will definitely find some way out of this!", Ayame giggled.

At that moment, a young man with grey hair stepped out from a tree they were about to pass, shattering the warm atmosphere. Clutched in his grip was a menacing triple-bladed scythe with blades so sharp it looked as if it could cut steel. He was clad in a full-body cloak with red clouds printed on it, and looked like he wanted to kill something.

"Hrnn... Jashin-sama thirsts for blood... Can't find the damned grey haired bastard!" The man ranted, stepping toward Ayame and her father."Hey you look so cute in that uniform, maybe ill cut up your cunt then strangle your father there to death with your intestines hehehehe..."

The man's eyes were glazed and his very expression was feral, scaring both Teuchi and Ayame and causing them to step back.

"Y-you s-stay back! I won't let you touch my daughter!" , Teuchi stuttered, obviously afraid.

However, Ayame stepped in front of her father, defiance apparent in her eyes,"Go away! We don't want you here! If you don't get back the Uchiha will kill you!"

"If they could... i would be happy to let them try. The name's Hidan, now stay still and I'll kill you as painfully and as bloodily as possible and commend your souls to Jashin-sama" Hidan said, menace dripping from his words.

With a swift slash, Hidan sliced off the old ramen store-owner's right leg, earning him a bloodcurdling shriek.

"OH MY GOD! HELP US! SOMEONE! NOO DON'T COME NE- AGH!" Ayame screamed as one of the blades sliced across her stomach. Luckily, she had retreated fast enough so that she only suffered a shallow gash.

"P-please go away... go away! I don't want to die! Please..." Ayame sobbed out. Teuchi was unconscious from the bood loss, and blood was still pooling out from the amputation.

"Hehe... Die quietly... please... hehe", Hidan raised his scythe...

What came next left Hidan disoriented to say the least. An oppressive feeling permeated the air, and a red bolt of energy knocked the scythe out of Hidan's hand. A blonde boy, about the same age as Ayame, walked down the empty street, ferocity and anger apparent in his eyes, although he was clearly stumbling. On his cheeks were three whisker marks a side, accentuated by the red chakra surrounding him. With a beastial snarl, the bonde boy set upon Hidan like an animal, while Ayame, sobbing and whimpering in fear, crawled to her Father's side, trying to staunch the bleeding with her clothes

"Hehe... interesting. But such a ruckus will surely attract the Uchiha. They can't kill me, but I better go back to meet with Kakuzu... Seems the target is not in Konoha." Hidan mumbled.

"Stay there bastard, I'm going to destroy you!", the blonde snarled.

"Now, now... no need to be hasty. If that power is what I think it is, we could be meeting in the future! Well ja ne! hehe..." With a _poof_ he disappeared, leaving the blonde boy alone with the Ichiraku duo.

Stifling his anger, the red cloak hugging the blonde dissipated. No sooner had this happened that the boy stumbled forward, utterly spent.

"No! Not you too! We have to get help for Father... don't die.. please...", Ayame sobbed. What was going to be a normal day had turned out to be a nightmare, scaring the child and rendering her a whimpering mess. But seeing that the blonde would be of no help in the near future, Ayame ran down the street, screaming at the top of her lungs for help.

'It's just one problem after another. If this keeps up, then I'm going to die for real...', Naruto thought, starting to blacking out. Fighting against the blackness that threatened to envelope him, his thoughts went back to the last near-death experience he had earlier...

* * *

_**-Flashback-**_

'Where am I?'

'What am I?'

The last thing he remembered was the face of the ninja that slit his throat... That must mean he was dead. He could not feel his hands. Nor his feet for that matter. Nevertheless, he could stand, if what he were doing was called standing. He felt strange, as though he wasn't really there. He felt like a pair of floating eyes, two glowing orbs that perceived the world around him, although he had no body to call his own.

'Well... I guess I'm dead.'

Peering around, he became vividly aware of his surroundings. Despite his apparent lack of legs, or torso, he felt water around him. He felt liquid run down his nonexistent skin, earning a shiver from him.

'I failed myself. I've always wanted to be a ninja. Now I'll wallow in this afterlife forever.'

He was given the perception that he was in some sort of sewer, and the foul smell rising from the surface of the water that came up to his knees did little to alter it. Glancing down, he saw a familiar face outlined in the sewer water. On each cheek were three whisker marks, while a mane of spike blonde hair grew on his head. What caught his eye were the cerulean orbs belonging to the reflection that were observing him...

'Wait. That was a reflection wasn't it? The. That face must be mine! Handsome chap if I may say so!'

"**HEHE... IT TRULY IS AMUSING TO SEE YOU BLUNDER ABOUT IN YOUR OWN MINDSCAPE. SUCH A FOOLISH PRIMATE...**"

'That voice... Whose is it? So powerful, so enticing...', the blonde floundered around, trying to find the source of it. As soon as he registered the fact that he had a reflection, he began to realize that he had a body.

"**AMUSING AS IT MAY BE, I HAVE LITTLE TIME. COME, BE DRAWN TO MY ABODE, MY PRISON...**"

The blonde struggled through the waterlogged room, although he felt no resistance. He truly had no idea what was going on...

After what felt like hours, the blonde arrived at twin gates that started from the floor and stretched out as high up as he could see. The gates sported wicked spikes, glistening with a red liquid that could only be blood. They were as wide as the waterlogged corridor, and seemed to exude a malignant aura. The boy could not make anything out behind the gates, seeming as though anything behind was swallowed by the neverending darkness.

With trepidation, the blonde approached the gates so slick with the red fluid. Deep in the recesses of his 'mindscape', as the disembodied voice had called it, something stirred.

The blonde peered through the steel bars of the gate, trying to make out something, anything, that could explain his situation. All of a sudden, an eyelid shot open, revealing a giant, slitted eye. With a startled cry, the blonde fell on his rump, shivering under the scrutiny of the red orb.

"**HOW PATHETIC. ARE YOU DETERRED MERELY BY THE SIGHT OF ME? IF SO, GIVE UP THOSE DREAMS YOU SO PROUDLY FLAUNT! COWARDS HAVE NO PLACE IN THIS WORLD. YOU ARE A YOUNG SPECIMEN, SO FRAGILE, YET YOU TOUT YOUR AMBITIONS AS IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR SUCH A PERSON TO ACHIEVE!**"

The boy shot to his feet, overcome by a wave of emotion. Was that... Anger?

"I know myself. I am Uzumaki Naruto. I _WILL_ become the greatest ninja that ever graced my world, wherever that may be. Even if I am dead, I will find a way to return to the land of the living and fulfill the promises I made to myself.", Naruto said with conviction. "I have no idea where I am, but my dreams are my own; I shall never abandon my principles. I shall never change my path, for though I know it is fraught with danger, I will never admit defeat to hopelessness."

"**YES... NARUTO. WORDS MEAN NOTHING TO ME, AS DO YOUR PETTY DREAMS. SURVIVAL IS ALL THERE IS TO LIFE, AND YOU ARE THE KEY TO MY SURVIVAL. I CARE NOT YOUR REASONS, NOR THE REASONS FOR THE BARBARISM OF MEN AGAINST YOU. YOUR BODY IS BROKEN, AND YOU HAVE BECOME WEAK. I SHALL BREAK YOUR MIND, AND CONTROL YOUR BODY AS I SEE FIT; FOR TOO LONG HAVE I BEEN IMPRISONED AND SHACKLED TO MASTERS WEAKER THAN MYSELF. FINALLY THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ANEW. YOUR CONVICTION IS MEANINGLESS HERE, FOR THOUGH I KNOW YOU TRULY BELIEVE YOU CAN RETURN YOURSELF TO LIFE EVEN IF YOU ARE DEAD, IT IS A BELIEF BORN OUT OF THE NAIVETE OF BEING YOUNG. YOU HAVE BARELY SEEN SIX YEARS, YET YOU DARE CHALLENGE WHAT YOU DO NOT YET COMPREHEND?**"

"I do not need to comprehend; you can see I have no fear, so why do you insist I submit to you? I will stick to my principles through thick and thin, and i will triumph. Should you wish to possess me, or 'break my mind' as you so nicely put it, I will resist you with every ounce of strength, even if it seems futile. If you would humour me: Who are you? What is this 'mindscape' that you speak about?", Naruto said, stoic to the very end.

"**PERHAPS I SHALL TELL YOU ABOUT MYSELF. I AM A DEMON. TERROR INCARNATE; WORDS ALONE CANNOT DEFINE MY TRUE WORTH, FOR MY POWER IS BOUNDLESS AND NO HUMAN CAN EVER HOPE TO MATCH ME. AS FOR THIS 'MINDSCAPE', IT IS ESSENTIALLY YOUR MIND, THE HAVEN THAT YOU RETREAT TO IN TIMES OF PRESSURE ON UNCONSCIOUSNESS. NORMALLY, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU, AS I AM SEALED INTO YOU SECURELY, BUT THE DAMAGE YOUR BODY SUSTAINED HAVE BROKEN DOWN THE BARRIERS INHIBITING ME FROM CONTROLLING YOU. YOU ARE NOT DEAD AS YOU HAVE THOUGHT, BUT ALIVE, SUSTAINED ONLY BY MY POWERS.**"

Glaring at the 'demon', Naruto did not allow his fear to control him. He was feeling afraid, but he knew he could not show it unless he wished to be forced to relinquish control at that very moment. Strutting up defiantly to the gate, he proclaimed,"You sure have alot of words for a supposedly 'boundlessly' powerful demon. If you were so strong, why are you caged up here in my mind? Why are you saving me; can't you just break out and leave me for dead?"

With a roar of rage, the entity behind the gates brought itself to its full height, revealing itself as a gigantic fox nine tails. It was truly a majestic sight to behold. Voice quaking with anger, it said,"**QUIET MORTAL! DO NOT PLAY WITH ME! I WILL DESTROY YOU NOW AND CLAIM YOU AS MY PRIZE!**"

Suddenly, Naruto felt every fibre of his being consumed by pain. He literally felt as though he were burning alive. With a bloodcurdling scream, he fell to his knees.

"Shut up demon. You must be the one that made people call me a 'demon', the one that is the cause of so much pain in my life. Well, now i have the chance to prove those people wrong. I am no demon, and neither will I submit to one!", Naruto seethed, clenching his fist and forcing himself to his feet, pushing the pain to the back of his mind.

Rearing up on its legs, the fox-like being roared, "**YOU FOOL! TRULY A FOOL! YOU ARE BUT A WHELP, AND YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN STAND UP TO ME WHERE EVEN THE GREATEST OF MORTALS HAD FALLEN! EVEN THE YONDAIME HOKAGE, HAD TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE TO BIND ME TO YOU! AND DESPITE YOUR LIFE YOU STILL WISH TO PROVE YOURSELF TO THE INFESTATION OF HUMANS IN KONOHA? NEVER HAVE I DEALT WITH SUCH STUPIDITY - I END THIS NOW!**"

Naruto could feel the pain double, triple, even quadruple, but refused to let himself scream, instead biting his tongue so hard blood gushed out of his mouth. "I... said this... rrgh... once, I'll say it... again. I. Will. Never. SUBMIT! Call it... what you want. I will stick to... my principles. Revenge of hatred is not one of them." With herculean effort, Naruto forced the pain out of his mind. He was now lying back on the ground, having fallen from the shock of the pain. As the pain doubled yet again, Naruto bit his tongue off, refusing to utter a sound.

Then all of a sudden the pain stopped, leaving Naruto feeling an emptiness he could not describe. Trying to speak, Naruto then realised he bit off his tongue; the pain had been so great he never noticed.

Eyeing Naruto with those blazing crimson orbs, the fox-entity growled, "**YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESIST... YOU SHOULD BE WEAK! WEAK AS ALL HUMANS ARE! I HAVE NOT THE STRENGTH TO DEAL WITH YOU NOW. BUT REST ASSURED I WILL COME FOR YOU AGAIN.**"

Totally spent, Naruto felt ready to black out. But just before the darkness claimed him, he swore he heard the damned fox whisper with what seemed to be grudging respect, "**JUST YOU WAIT, NARUTO.**"

_**-Flashback End-**_

* * *

Waking up from his stupor, Naruto flexed his muscles, feeling pain, but was able to fight his way up to a standing position. The fox-thing had healed even his limbs back, but he had not eaten anything that day, and felt as though he would starve to death before the day ended. He was foraging for food, when he heard a girl screaming for help, and so he immediately rushed over to see what was happening. Seeing the man hurt two defenseless people had caused him to fly into a rage, and suddenly he was covered in that red... thing.

He stumbled - apparently the fox had to take what little tissue the boy had left on his body to regrow the lost limbs, and his legs could not even support his weight. As his knees buckled once again, Naruto decided the best course of action would be to lie there until he died. It was not like anyone would help him anyway, seeing as he was the container for a very malevolent demon.

Soon, he heard the shuffling of feet, and, turning his head, saw a girl about his age sobbing and walking toward him, her brown hair catching in the wind.

"Thank you... The Uchiha took my father to the hospital while you fainted, but they refused to help you! They even called you a 'demon'...", the young girl said.

Flashing a smile while still lying on the ground, Naruto said, "Well, you're welcome. But people won't like it if you associate with me. Hehe... that guy was some piece of work, running away like that. If he even tried to put up a fight, i would be dead now. Go away a stay out of trouble. Kami is calling me to the afterlife... At least I was able to live up to my promise of helping people."

Wiping her tears away, the girl said indignantly, " you are NOT going to die! My house is nearby, let me carry you there!"

"Ugh... If you are going to help me, g... get me food fast...", Naruto croaked.

The brown-haired girl managed to carry Naruto, and much to her surprise found him extremely light. Together, they stumbled away, finding their way to Ayame's home in the darkness.

edit: fixed some typos


	4. Chapter 4 Hokage's Concerns

**AN: Welcome back! First off, I would like to ask a few things: do you guys think i should use an OC char or original chars for Naruto's future sensei? What about the story, how can it be improved? Any major gripes about ANYTHING? Point it out and i'll try to improve. Read and Review!  
**

**See you after the jump!**

* * *

_-NEXT MORNING-_

An unfamiliar smell wafted into his nostrils, pulling him from his sleep. Naruto became acutely aware that he was hugging something soft and warm, and for a moment decided to throw caution to the wind and partake in this heaven. He was practically swimming in the softness, even taking it in both his hands and squeezing...

A muffled yelp greeted him.

With reflexes born from so many years of waking up to violence, Naruto jumped up, ready to run at the first sign of danger. Unfortunately for him, he had not healed completely from the ordeal of the previous day, and promptly lost balance, tumbling to the floor.

Finally realising he was not about to get mauled by some angry mob, he looked up and saw a young, brown-haired girl rubbing her eyes sleepily. The memories of the previous night came to him, and he recognised her as the girl who had brought him food in his time of dire need, thus saving him.

'_Ayame..._ that was her name was it? Well I should be grateful to her... HOLY SHIT WAS I JUST CUDDLING WITH HER!', thought Naruto.

"Ah... Good morning Naruto-kun. Did you have a good night's rest? What's wrong? Why do you look like that?", Ayame said sweetly, looking at him in askance.

"No-nothing! I just have to go to the toilet! Never mind me!", blustered Naruto, Immediately running out of the bedroom... _Ayame's bedroom..._

Finding the toilet wasn't difficult - it was an apartment that, though small, seemed homely enough to Naruto's liking. Heck, to even have a place to stay was better than Naruto ever got. Briefly wondering why Ayame extended her hospitality so readily to him, one who was shunned by any and all, Naruto's nose soon caught a whiff of the aroma that had awoken him.

The night before, Ayame had helped Naruto into the house she and her father shared, quickly whipping up some food for him. On the verge of death, Naruto simply gorged himself, not bothering to even see what he was eating. Later, Ayame told him it was something called 'ramen' - apparently she and her father owned a ramen stand called 'Ichiraku's Ramen'. He also recalled how afraid Ayame was. She had requested him to watch over her while she slept, as the only way she would feel safe was in the presence of her 'saviour'.

'No doubt that accounted for why Ayame and I were cuddling each other', Naruto mused.

"Naruto-kun! I made breakfast! Hope you don't mind ramen again...", Ayame told him as he walked out of the bathroom.

"mmmmm... that smells great... exactly like how _you_ smell", salivated Naruto, ready to dig into his food, earning a blush and a stuttered "T-thank you" from Ayame.

"Itadakimasu!", they chorused, slurping up their noodles greedily.

"Man, this stuff is great! Truly the food of the gods.. hehe", Naruto praised, "I know you must feel uncomfortable with me staying here; I'll leave after my meal, thank you for your hospitality."

"Naruto-kun, I still cannot thank you enough for saving my father and I last night. You can make yourself at home... anything we have is yours!", proclaimed Ayame.

This proposal surprised Naruto, who was not even expecting gratitude from the family he had saved. After all, all he ever got from others were angry beatings or death threats. Such kindness was alien to Naruto, who, although believing that he must do his best to protect anyone in danger, developed a strong distrust of seemingly kind people. Many people had come to him under the guise of kindness, one moment offering him safe haven, the next trying to murder him. Although he disbelieved the fact that a child, like him, like Ayame would knowingly hurt him without reason, he still harboured his suspicions. After all, he was guided by _principle_, and had promised himself to save those victimised as he had been, but always believed he would never get the love he wanted, even if it were what he wished.

Standing up suddenly, Naruto questioned Ayame, "You are not doing this to try to hurt me are you? No one in my life has ever remotely helped me... did you poison my food to kill me? Others have done this... poison does not work on me!"

Startled by his sudden outburst, Ayame said confusedly, " No! I would never... you are my family's saviour, _my_ saviour! I meant every word I said!"

"You truly want me to believe that? I understand that you might want to at the very least give me some food, but to want to associate with a '_demon_' like me? Even going so far as to offer me everything you have?", snarled Naruto, "Since I can remember, people kicked me, threw rocks at me, even going so far as to almost _kill_ me!"

Despite Ayame's objections, Naruto showed no signs of stopping, "Do you know what it's like to be hated so much that people believe you are a 'taint on humanity'? I'm just a six-year old kid, but my life is pure hell! I've been forced to learn to survive out there among the wolves, forced to grow up!" At this, tears could be seen welling up in Naruto's eyes.

Now sobbing profusely, Naruto muttered to a wide-eyed Ayame, "And yet... and yet all I ever want is to be acknowledged... to be treated like a human... to save people... _sob_... to learn what it is like to be loved... _sob_... don't you think it's too cruel to trick, to lie to me?"

Ayame slowly walked to Naruto's side, comforting him, saying, "Naruto, I am truly sorry for what you have been through, but I am not lying, and I believe you know i am not. It's okay to cry... let it all out."

They stayed there like this, Ayame's hand on Naruto's shoulder, allowing him to pour his sorrows out. Ayame felt sadness and pity for her saviour, but angry at the life he had been forced to lead. She had no idea why people hated him so much, but knew that he would never do anything to hurt anybody - he was too good of a boy. Finally, Naruto's wracking sobs subsided, and he stated, "I cannot stay here. People will see you trying to help me, and treat you the same. I will leave, but I thank you... for everything. You should go visit your father in the hospital."

"No, don't go...", Ayame pleaded, "I don't care that people will treat us the same, I know you, even though it has only been for one night, and you do not deserve it..."

'But I do deserve it... I have a demon-fox inside of me, one that could take control of me and kill everyone... Ayame is now my friend, and she means the world to me. I will never forget her... I will protect her at all costs', thought Naruto.

"Ayame, I will only serve to bring you down, so i must leave. But you are my friend, now and forever; I will never forget you... I promise", said Naruto, walking toward the entrance to the apartment.

"Wait, Naruto-kun! Take this... It's my mother's pendant. Whenever you see this, think of me... a-and never give up!", said Ayame, running to Naruto's side. Taking off the jade necklace she wore around her neck, she then put it around Naruto's neck, giving him a soft kiss, earning a blush from the blonde.

"Naruto-kun... I'm afraid. Please come back soon... to protect me again", Ayame said, eyes brimming with tears. Even though Ayame had only known him one night, she felt as though she had known him her entire seven years of life. The two children had been born into an unforgiving world filled with violence, both had been forced to mature beyond their years. The similarities in their lives caused their feelings to blossom into an unbreakable bond in the short time they had spent together.

"Thank you Ayame-chan", Naruto whispered, before exiting hastily.

* * *

One hour later...

Ambling around aimlessly, Naruto found himself at the Hokage Monument that overlooked the village of Konoha. The monument consisted of the faces of the four legendary Hokages of the Hidden Leaf Village carved into the side of the granite mountain. No matter how many times he saw it, Naruto felt inspired by the faces of Konoha's greatest. He knew that the Hokage was the strongest ninja in the village, the one who protected everyone with his power. More importantly, he was the one that everybody looked up to and respected, and that was what Naruto wanted: to be acknowledged. Why the village had devolved into such chaos Naruto did not know, but he was damn sure going to fix it one day.

Naruto ran up to the summit of the monument, not even pausing for breath, finding his seat on top of the Yondaime Hokage's stone face. It was his favourite place to sleep in the whole village, because it was always so peaceful and quiet, a contrast from the violence that seemed to pervade Konoha. Some day, Naruto promised, he would become Hokage and save this village from violence. Some day...

As the morning turned to afternoon, Naruto had a clear view of the entire village. As he watched from above, he decided he was going to become strong. Strong enough to protect his friends, strong enough to persuade people to stop the violence. Naruto hated violence, hated how it warped people, clouded their mind, and made them do unspeakable things.

The rest of the day passed with Naruto making many more promises; such was the naivete of the blonde child. He truly believed that people, even the most wicked and evil, could be persuaded to see good and to stop living for their own ends. Deciding all this promise-making would be useless if they were forgotten or broken, Naruto tried to find a way to remember it. Realising he was lacking any writing materials nor the knowledge needed to to use it, he went into deep thought, trying to find a solution to his predicament.

The blonde was illiterate, a result of the neglect shown by his fellow villagers. Sure, his mind was sharp, his will strong, and if anything, he was resourceful; these things Naruto was born with. However, when he became faced with the inability to express, and in a sense legitimise to himself, his promises, he was stumped.

But he had vowed never to give up.

In a moment of inspiration, Naruto took his thumb and scraped it on the sharp edges of the granite rock he was sitting on, trying his best to squeeze the most blood out. Using his blood as ink, the blonde started forward to the forehead of the Yondaime's stone face, beginning to crudely sketch the Konoha Leaf Symbol. His blood would symbolise his commitment to his cause, nothing more was needed.

For as long as Konoha still stood, Naruto would protect it, and more importantly his friend, Ayame. For as long as Konoha wallowed in the clutches of vice, Naruto would work toward saving it. He would stand as tall as the forest trees, an immovable object that never gave up.

Happy with his handiwork, Naruto laughed. He was happy, and he would show that happiness to all. He would show those that tried to kill him how wrong they were. About him being a demon that lived only to destroy. About how shinobi were supposed to be cold and ruthless. About how he did not deserve to live.

All that mattered now was to get strong.

At this moment in time, Naruto had nothing, and as far as anybody was concerned, was nothing. On a whim, Naruto decided to leave the village to find a suitable sensei to train him in the shinobi arts. Immediately, he headed toward the village gates that was located in the distance.

* * *

_-At that moment at the Hokage building-_

Hiruzen Sarutobi, more commonly known as the Third Hokage, sat brooding in his office. He was at the mercy of the Council. Damn bastards had put him under house arrest, forbidding him from leaving the confines of the prominent Hokage building. He essentially lived out his life inside the office, even sleeping and eating in it. Occasionally he might go to the toilet, and even then he was followed closely by ANBU guards. Sighing, the Hokage wished that he regained even a minute bit of his power so that he could destroy each and every one of the council members that had so imprisoned him. Unfortunately, powerful seals made by the Konoha Fuinjutsu masters effectively suppressed chakra use in the Hokage building, leaving the Hokage a powerless and frail old man. Had he been younger, he would try to break out based on brute strength alone, but the older, wiser (and perhaps more cowardly) Sarutobi knew that he would be swiftly cut down before he reached the entrance.

The Hokage knew exactly what was going on outside. He had his ways, plus the window that granted him unrestricted view of Konoha allowed him to silently observe various crimes and transgressions that went unpunished. The Hokage building was the tallest in Konoha, and where once it stood as the bastion for the village's greatest protector, it was now the jail for a puppet.

Sarutobi already had plans to revive Konoha after he escaped from his confinements, but the hard part was actually escaping. Many times he had contemplated suicide, but he had refused to take his life, believing it to simply mean he had surrendered.

The old man never admitted defeat.

Sure, he might be overpowered sometimes, but in the end he would win the war, or so he hoped. The Hokage decided the first thing he would do when he got out would be to find out how one Uzumaki Naruto had died, and laud him as a hero (he was sure at this point that Naruto must have died - no child could survive alone in Konoha, particularly not one so hated). Then, he would rally those few ninja loyal to him, and begin purging the village of its evil. Last he knew, Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, Inuzuka Tsume, and various other former clan heads were similarly put under house arrest for supporting Sarutobi, but that was years ago. Most, if not all, could be dead.

The new clan heads were selfish, ridiculously so, and they expanded their influence, raising private armies, even waging personal wars for their own benefit. All in all, Konoha was a battlefield. The only safe places were the clan districts, the marketplace, and the cemeteries, and these were heavily guarded to ensure security. The rest of the village, from the Red Light District to the Gang Territories were cordoned off, with the entrances being guarded vigilantly by clan and ANBU ninja. The clans seemed to have come to the consensus that bloodshed was distasteful, and so set aside a part of Konoha to settle disputes through conflicts while the leaders sat in the safety of their pretty homes lazing around.

The Third Hokage could not understand how the warring clans could be so selfish. Because they refuse to get their own hands dirty, they lock themselves in private sanctuaries, content in allowing those desperate enough in the cordoned off vicinities to fight for the clan's gain. Each clan ran a gang in those territories, and these fought for supremacy with other clan-run gangs. Those that fought well enough for their chosen clan's glory would be rewarded with a safe place to live within the Clan Districts, thus ensuring a constant influx of willing fighters.

'If such barbarism continues, Konoha, the village built by our forefathers, will be destroyed. I cannot let this happen', Sarutobi mused.

For now, he would wait and brood, and occasionally pout petulantly.

* * *

**AN: Ehy Naruto's first training starts next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5 Hello, Sensei

**AN: Hullo again! This chapter wil be the last one for two weeks due to my school exams, but do not fret! Naruto still has a long path to tread...**

**Anyway, how do you like my new, darker take on Jiraiya? Do you think this take is more gritty and realistic (that's what i hope it is)?  
**

**Do you want lemons?  
**

**See you after the jump and as always, Read and Review!  
**

* * *

"Amazing...", breathed Naruto.

It had been almost a week since Naruto left Konoha. He was almost apprehended by the village gatekeepers, having been caught red-handed trying to scale Konoha's protective walls, but had managed to lose his Chunin pursuers by running into an alley and promptly dropping into Konoha's sewers. The ninja, disgusted with the prospect of tracking said blonde child through the sewers, gave up the chase, evidently not willing to expend to much energy trying to chase the 'demon'.

Hell, they were probably celebrating his decision to leave the village.

Escaping Konoha via it's sewer pipelines, Naruto eventually resurfaced from the underground waste system that night. He had to spend the rest of the night trying to wash off the impossibly pungent smell off his clothes at a nearby river.

A week later, he was here. Naruto had no idea where 'here' was, but he was standing before the first waterfall he had ever seen. The frothing river water crashed down from a sheer cliff thirty metres high, a water spray resulting from the hydraulic action of the body of water upon a small pool at the base of the cliff. The spray of water covered the forested area with a fine mist, giving the place an ethereal, dream-like appearance. Naruto was captivated by the view, and after a week on the dusty road, he was worn out.

Deciding a shower was in order, Naruto shed his clothing, slipping into the cold water. His search for a sensei had so far been fruitless, although he had passed by two smaller villages. After all, they were logging villages, and were little more than a collection of wooden houses and inns, thus lacking anything but the most basic of necessities.

Naruto spent most of his time foraging for edible berries and nuts from the forest, supplementing what he could find with rations he had stolen from the two villages. Other than a few incidents with the villages' local police, He met no trouble while on the road, and had spent the last two days walking down the dirt path in the hopes of reaching a hub of some kind.

After a refreshing bath by the waterfall, Naruto gathered his belongings, starting along his path once again.

* * *

_-A Few Hours Later-_

As the sun reached it's zenith, Naruto was treated to the sight of a sprawling village located in the distance. Naruto estimated it's size to be about as large as Konoha, and headed towards it. He shivered in anticipation; such a large village would surely be home to one or two masters in the ninja art!

Soon, he reached the village gates; the settlement was located on a floodplain, and the area was flat and devoid of any trees. Fields of long grass stretched out to the forest border, swaying in the breeze. Several wooden buildings had been built outside the village, and some of these had large signs fixed above the entrances. A single plaque hung above the gate in front of Naruto, identifying the village as _Kamikuishiki_. Among wooden houses were inns and breweries, and Naruto decided to begin his search for a teacher inside one 'Hitomi's Winehouse' before entering the village.

As he opened the door, the stench of sake and sweat hit him, but he continued inside. Several of the patrons shot him strange looks; it was not everyday that a six-year old child visited a bar alone. Dismissing him as just another homeless street urchin looking for odd jobs, the patrons went back to indulging in alcohol and raucous laughter.

Here, Naruto was not recognized, making it much easier for him to approach others. Unfortunately, he was still a young child, and the level of maturity he exhibited did not correlate with his appearance. Many people had no interest in talking to a scrawny child beggar (which he looked the part) and after failing to strike a conversation with two obviously drunk men as well as the serving wenches, he decided to try his luck with the large, fierce-looking bartender.

The bartender was a bulky man in his thirties, bearded and wearing a t-shirt so tight it looked like it could tear at any moment. A single scar ran vertically down his left eye, giving him an almost feral look. Naruto approached the bartender as he took a draught of his sake, nervous to say the least.

"Ano... Hello old man", said Naruto apprehensively.

"Who're you calling old man ya' runt! I say, didn't your parents ever teach you to respect your elders? A boy like you shouldn't be here... Get outta here and run back to your parents", the bartender drawled, taking another sip of his precious sake.

"But... I've no parents, I came here alone! Don't chase me out, I just want to ask something ... please oji-san...", pleaded Naruto.

"... Fine, spit it out. What brings a beggar-orphan to my bar?", relented the bartender.

"I'm not a beggar!", said Naruto indignantly.

"Then you're a thief. Now tell me what you want to know quickly before I lose my patience.", snapped the scarred bartender.

"Well... Do you know anybody who can teach me how to defend myself? Someone skilled in the art of fighting?", inquired Naruto.

"I _do_ know of one, but he doesn't come cheap, and neither does my information. Tell you what, I'm feeling generous, so if you deliver a little something to my customer inside the village, I'll give you his address... still, you don't seem like you have anything, so it's useless even if you find him...", answered the bartender.

"I'll be the judge of that! Give me what you need delivered and point me in the direction!", said Naruto, excited that he had finally found a lead.

The scarred man took out a small package barely the size of his palm and handed it to Naruto, telling Naruto to deliver it to the inn in the Shizukana District. After that, he was to return for the address he wanted.

Leaving the bar, Naruto breathed noticeably easier, having almost been suffocated in the stuffy building. He promptly headed to the village gates and asked the bored gatekeepers for directions to the Shizukana District.

It was another hour before Naruto found his way to the Shizukana District, and the afternoon was slowly melting away to evening. Entering the only inn, Bakuraya Inn, on the street, he passed on the small package to the large old owner of the inn. The man was extremely tall, unnaturally so, and had long, white hair reaching down to his waist. He was built like a bull, and was clearly accustomed to physical exertion. After Naruto explained who it was from, he made for the door, before a group of eight muscular men barged into the inn. The men brandished gleaming knives, and obviously were meaning to cause trouble.

'Uh oh... not good. I knew my luck couldn't hold out. Well, I should hide until they go away', thought Naruto, taking refuge behind the counter.

"Ey' old man, ya' need ta' pay your rent fer livin' on our turf. Give us the money now. _All of it._", one of the thugs, presumably the leader, demanded.

"Hmmm... have you wondered why nobody on this street ever paid 'rent'?", the old man asked without even a hint of fear or apprehension.

"Don't know, don't care. Mebbe it's cause no other gang owned this area before... But it's _OUR_ turf now. Now pay up or we're gonna cut you up and hang you by your intestines!", muttered the leader, clearly wondering why the old man did not show even an ounce of fear.

"Well, let me show you why. Remember my face, for it is the last you will ever see.", growled the old man, eyes flashing dangerously.

'What the-', thought Naruto, 'the old man's courting death!'

The thugs looked at each other, then broke out into boisterous laughter. Surely one old man, powerful as he looked, could not take on eight younger men armed and in their prime?

"Hahahaha... well... hehe... I don't know what got into you old man, but if you think you can t- URK!" Before the thug could finish, the old man jabbed his elbow into the man's stomach, then finishing him off by stabbing through his neck with his fingers.

The other thugs exclaimed in surprise, wondering what had happened. The old man's movement was faster than the eye could see; one moment the thug was mocking the old man, the next he was impaled on his fingers, choking on his lifeblood. As the life left their leader's eyes, the other thugs readied their knives, intent on gutting the enemy before them.

Naruto, watching from his position behind the counter, was treated to the most impressive display of ability he had ever seen. Even the Chunin that he had seen sparring on occasion did not come close to the finesse and skill of the white-haired man.

Pushing his open palm forward, the old man crushed a thug's trachea. Swiftly pulling his arm back, he let fly a swift kick to his opponent's scrotum, cracking his pelvis and sending him flying back. Turning, he simultaneously clenched his hand into a fist and slammed it into another opponent's sternum, forcing him to drop his weapon, all in one swift motion. With a resounding _crack_ he brought his other hand in, delivering a blow to the man's jaw and shattering his skull. Wasting no time, he dealt with the other five opponents in similar fashion.

All in all, it took a total of 38 seconds from start to sickening finish. As the old man delivered his final blow: a karate chop that literally split the skull of the last thug, killing him instantly, he muttered loudly, "These guys never listen, always looking for trouble. Maybe Kami can give them more of a chance in the afterlife."

Naruto was slack-jawed from bearing witness to the old man's demonstration of his prowess. As far as he could tell, the old man wasn't even breathing hard! And yet, eight motionless, and no doubt very dead, thugs lay strewn about the inn. As the owner called for some of his shocked assistants to clean the place (which they promptly did, not willing to risk his ire), Naruto shook himself, unsure if what he saw was real. It evidently was, and Naruto wasted no time in introducing himself to the old man and asking him to be his sensei, deciding that this was a golden opportunity.

"Hey, Ojii-san! I had no idea you were this strong! Please, take me as your student, and teach me how to defend myself as you just did!", said Naruto.

"... I do not teach, nor would I even consider taking in a six-year old child. Now go back home to your mother and forget what you saw today.", the old man said, a hint of steel in his voice.

"NO! You cannot turn me down! Please, I beg of you! I have never known a mother's embrace, nor did I ever know my parents. I have no home, and I abandoned everything to become strong... to protect my principles! You cannot deny me!", shouted Naruto, clearly agitated.

"I can deny you... but you are merely a child. How can I lead you in the path of violence? You saw what I did to those men... they all probably had families, but I killed them, because it is all I know how to do.", replied the man wearily.

"I don't care; you should not have killed those men, and even if I had your power, I would never kill without sufficient reason. My entire life has been an orgy of violence, so I highly doubt that you would be the one to lead me down that road - I have to get strong now, and you can teach me how, only then can I change people for the better.", said Naruto stoically.

"I daresay you have the will to learn from me... for such a young one. Fine, seeing as you truly believe in your values, who am I to tell you otherwise? I was once like you, once believing in idealism. But you will learn soon enough that it is futile to change people - better to kill them than to talk to them. I shall teach you what you want, because of the will you have shown. I decide this on a whim, but you must promise to do _anything_... _everything_... I tell you to do without fail. I reserve the right to punish you, to hurt you - in short, you are now owned by _me_.", said the old man.

"I accept old man... I shall follow your words and wisdom, but if it clashes with my principle, then I will break your rule if I have to.", said Naruto.

"As my student, it is _I _who will decide your principle for you... but yet you are resolute. I will relent just this once, but know this: before long you will surrender to the natural inclinations of men. From now on, you shall address me appropriately as _Jiraiya-sensei_", finished Jiraiya.

* * *

_-Back In Konoha-_

Ayame trudged down the street, absorbed in her own thoughts. After another tiring day of manning Ichiraku's, she was heading for the hospital, wanting to check on her father. Teuchi's leg had been cut off during the attack, and he had been in danger of dying from blood loss, but he had been lucky to receive swift medical attention. Last she saw him, Teuchi was alive and well, at least as well as he could be under the circumstances. He had no choice but to replace the missing limb with a wooden leg, which still made it difficult for him to move around.

Reaching the hospital, Ayame rushed up to her father's room, anxious to meet him.

"Ahh... Ayame-chan. I was hoping to see you today. There's nothing to do here except sit around or sleep!", Teuchi said jokingly.

"Shhh Otou-san... you have to rest and recuperate. Don't worry about Ichiraku's, I'm managing quite well on my own. The doctors say you will be discharged by the end of the week, so in the mean time, try to get as much rest as possible okay?", implored Ayame.

"Fine, fine. I guess we really owe that blonde kid our lives huh?", said Teuchi.

Immediately, the mood darkened. Ayame was only a child, but she had felt such a strong connection with Naruto, the only other person her age she was friends with. Then he had to leave after one night, leaving her alone again.

"N-Naruto-kun... I wish he never left. He has been through so much, but yet he wanted to get strong to protect the things important to him, to protect _me_...", Ayame whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Seeing Ayame like this broke Teuchi's heart. He had worked so hard to make Ayame happy, but things never worked out. He had seen many things in his life, and foremost among the greatest tragedies he had faced was the descent of Konoha from a peaceful village into a chaotic struggle. If Ayame was to be taken away from him... he would probably commit _seppuku_ (ritual suicide) there and then. He knew exactly what his daughter was going through. In the short time they had been together, she had grown infatuated with Naruto,and therein lay the problem: he might probably never come back to the Ichiraku family.

The boy was alone, and he could not hope to achieve anything alone. Even now, his corpse might be rotting in some alley, or in the bellies of the wild beasts that populated the forest. He knew that Ayame liked Naruto, maybe even loved him, but in the end, he could only see things ending up with Ayame crushed when she learned of Naruto's grisly demise.

"Ayame... my daughter... He promised you he would come back. If he lives, you can be sure to see him again... but in the event that he doesn't...", Teuchi said, in an effort to make Ayame see how slim a chance Naruto had of surviving.

"NO! I'm sorry for my rudeness, Otou-san, but I know he will be back. I've seen into his eyes, and they sparkle with determination. He will NOT break his promise... I believe in him!", shouted Ayame.

Teuchi was stunned. Ayame _NEVER_ raised her voice against him. But to see her do this to defend Naruto... he wondered how deep her infatuation with him ran.

"Ayame... I'm just trying to tell you to be prepared... But I know he's not the sort that would let people down. Facts will be facts, however, and the fact is that Naruto is just a child, like you. How will he survive?", Teuchi said, trying to reach out to his daughter.

"Otou-san... I believe he will come back. I will wait for him, even if it takes my whole life. well, I have to get back to rest now, tomorrow's another busy day", Ayame said tiredly, bowing and taking her leave.

As he heard the door close, Teuchi thought, 'I was afraid of that. This unhealthy infatuation of hers might be a problem."

* * *

-The Next Morning, Back in _Kamikuishiki_-

The morning breeze brought with it the fragrance of sakura and tsubaki. Having finally found a less-than-willing sensei to take him in (on account of his shameless begging), Naruto was given a room in Jiraiya's inn. The first morning rays crept into the room and onto Naruto's face, highlighting his childish features. He was still snoring lightly, blissfully unaware of the other figure in the room. Jiraiya had crept in just minutes before, intent on observing his student. Although he had let Naruto stay, Jiraiya made it clear he had to earn his lodgings through hard work and commitment.

"Ahhh, Ayame-chan, that's the stuff... gimme more... ooooh yeah...", mumbled Naruto.

'Wonder what the kid is dreaming. Well, it's time to wake up.', thought Jiraiya, taking up a wooden staff and hitting Naruto hard on the head.

"WAAAAGH! Don't kill me!", shouted Naruto, still very much unaware of the situation. Fearing that danger was nearby, he dove out the inn's window, only to realise he was one floor up. Crashing to the ground, a dazed Naruto wondered if he was about to die yet again.

Jiraiya was definitely not expecting this. 'Well, maybe he was telling the truth when he said people have tried to kill him.'

"Hey boy, you took so long to wake up, I had no choice but to hit you on the head! And why the hell did you jump out of the building!", called Jiraiya from the window.

Rubbing his head and glaring up at his new-found sensei irately, Naruto answered, "You could've just shook me a little! I'm a light sleeper! I thought a village mob was after me!"

"Right. Meet me at the door, we're going to start training.", stated Jiraiya, who promptly disappeared from the window.

"Jiraiya and his stupid ideas...", muttered Naruto under his breath, walking to the entrance of the inn.

The door opened, revealing the large frame of Jiraiya in all his glory. Gone was his workman clothes, replaced with a chain mesh and fighting robes. "Let's be off now! Follow me to your training area.", ordered Jiraiya.

"Yes...", said Naruto, stomach growling.

"That's _sensei_ to you, _gaki_! And it seems you need to eat something first. Now that I think about it, you didn't have dinner yesterday. Come along then, I should introduce you to this new ramen stand!", said Jiraiya, walking down the path.

"Yeah, ramen! I haven't eaten anything but nuts and berries for _days_! But Ayame-chan's ramen will always be the best!", proclaimed Naruto.

Remembering that Naruto was saying Ayame's name in his sleep, Jiraiya inquired, "Nothing but nuts and berries? You must be starving! And who's this _Ayame-chan_ huh? Such a young boy and already got a girl back home?"

"N-none of your business! She made the best meal I had in my life! Plus I had to come all the way here from Konoha on foot, so I had no choice but to forage for whatever food I could find.", said Naruto

"Well then, make sure to eat as much as you can; you're going to need all the energy for training.", said Jiraiya, pointing to a small stand they were walking to.

"'Rangiku's Ramen' huh? I'm going to devour the entire stall!", said Naruto, eyes twinkling at the prospect of real food.

After ten bowls of ramen, and an angry Jiraiya footing the bill, the duo made their way out of the village and continued walking past the empty fields in the direction of the forest.

"Where are we going sensei? What are we going to learn? I bet it's those cool moves all ninja use right? Can you teach me how to spit out a fireball? how ab-"

"Shut up! I swear, do you ever shut up? The area is in the forest!", Jiraiya exclaimed, covering his ears with his hands.

"Well, I never really talk with people, unless it's Ayame-chan. But I only knew her for one night, and she gave me this pretty pendant...", rattled Naruto excitedly.

Groaning, Jiraiya lead the way deep into the forest until they reached a clearing. The whole area must have been over a kilometer wide, with stumps of trees jutting out. On closer inspection, the trees seemed to have been felled from something other than axes.

"This is where I train occasionally, to keep my skills from going rusty. Now take off that eyesore you call a jumpsuit; I have to plan out which of your muscle groups to best exercise.", ordered Jiraiya.

Naruto complied, slipping off his orange jumpsuit. Jiraiya's eyes widened involuntarily, and he coughed, earning a curious stare from his student. Having just eaten, Naruto's stomach was full, but his cheeks were gaunt, and his ribcage was sticking out . His arms were unhealthily scrawny, and Jiraiya could only wonder how Naruto's skinny legs could carry him. In short, Naruto was a walking specimen of the effects of starvation.

"So what now, sensei?", Naruto asked.

Jiraiya, however, was deep in thought, 'not really surprising, seeing as he's a homeless orphan who travelled here all the way from Konoha; it's no wonder he gorged himself just now. Still, I've never actually seen somebody so starved behave with so much energy. That's a mystery for another day, however. I can't start proper training today due to his condition. I have to feed him properly and put some meat on his bones before he develops _Kwashiorkor_ (disease caused by starvation). I also sense a strange chakra emanating from his belly area; it seems some kind of seal has been placed on the boy. I'll have to investigate it soon.'

"Well brat, It seems I'll concentrate on teaching you the basic taijutsu forms today. Don't overexert yourself yet, just concentrate on memorizing the various forms I'll teach you. You can start the real strength training and taijutsu sparring next week.", said Jiraiya.

"But sensei, I have to get strong fast! Why don't we start on strength training now?", whined Naruto.

Slapping Naruto hard, Jiraiya growled, "Don't forget that I am your teacher. We can be friends at the very least outside of training, but down here, you will obey my orders without question. _Do you understand_?"

Nodding meekly, Naruto got into position and allowed Jiraiya to commence his training.

That night, Naruto was surprised at the amount of food he was given. Jiraiya ordered him to finish the largest meal he had eaten in his life. Sighing contentedly, Naruto turned in immediately after dinner, dreaming about strange brown-haired girls and bowls of ramen.

* * *

**AN: How do you think of my action scene? I would really appreciate comments about how to improve my action sequences and character interaction.**

**Review away!**


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